Apple mail rebuild database

The joys of rebuilding the Apple Mail database!

Rebuilding the Apple Mail database can help resolve various issues, such as:

  1. Corrupted or missing emails
  2. Slow performance
  3. Errors when trying to send or receive emails
  4. Duplicate emails or messages

Here's a step-by-step guide to rebuild the Apple Mail database on your Mac:

Method 1: Using the built-in "Rebuild" feature

  1. Open Apple Mail on your Mac.
  2. Go to Mail > Preferences.
  3. Click on Accounts.
  4. Select the account you want to rebuild (e.g., your iCloud, Gmail, or Exchange account).
  5. Click on the Advanced tab.
  6. Scroll down to the Account Settings section.
  7. Click on the Rebuild button next to Database.
  8. Confirm that you want to rebuild the database by clicking Rebuild in the pop-up window.

Method 2: Using the Terminal command

  1. Open the Terminal app on your Mac (you can find it in the Applications/Utilities folder or use Spotlight to search for it).
  2. Type the following command and press Enter:
    sqlite3 ~/Library/Mail/V2/Mail.db

    This will open the Mail database in SQLite.

  3. Run the following command to rebuild the database:
    vacuum;

    This will rebuild the database and remove any unnecessary data.

  4. Press Ctrl+C to exit the SQLite shell.

Method 3: Using a third-party tool

There are several third-party tools available that can help you rebuild the Apple Mail database, such as:

These tools can help you identify and remove unnecessary data, which can help improve the performance of your Apple Mail app.

Important notes: